1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sheet discharge device configured to discharge a sheet which is a recording medium having an image formed thereon, a sheet-loading detection method, a computer readable medium storing a sheet-loading detection program, and an image forming apparatus such as a printer, including the sheet discharge device.
2. Description of the Related Art
A detection mechanism which is configured to detect whether or not sheets are fully loaded in a tray to which the sheets having an image recorded are discharged, has been known. In this detection mechanism, an arrangement is made such that, a pendulum is pivotably installed on a side wall of the tray at an upper side of a sheet discharge opening, and when the tray is empty, the pendulum is inclined downward due to a gravitational force. In a case in which the sheets are fully loaded in the tray, the pendulum is lifted up by the bundle of sheets, and is inclined upward. From the inclination of the pendulum, a state of loading of sheets in the tray is judged. The pendulum is positioned at the upper side of the sheet discharge opening. Therefore, as a sheet is discharged from the sheet discharge opening, the pendulum is lifted up once by the sheets. As a sheet passes the pendulum, the pendulum is inclined downward.